Edward Herrmann, the towering, melodious-voiced actor who brought Franklin D. Roosevelt to life in films and documentaries, won a Tony Award and charmed audiences as the stuffy dad on TV's "Gilmore Girls," died Wednesday. He was 71.

Herrmann died at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital of brain cancer, his son, Rory Herrmann said. The actor, who had been hospitalized for several weeks, was surrounded by family members including his wife, Star, and his three children, his son said.

The towering, 6-foot-5 actor with the melodious voice made his mark on stage, on screen and as the narrator of a number of documentaries.

Herrmann, who lived in Salisbury, had a recurring role in "Gilmore Girls," set in the fictional Connecticut town of Stars Hollow, a decade ago, and made notable guest-star appearances in the 1980s hospital drama "St. Elsewhere." He also provided the voice for Franklin D. Roosevelt in Ken Burns' documentary series "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," which aired on PBS earlier this year.